With Christmas fast approaching, we’re all looking for the perfect presents for our kids. We want to make Christmas a magical and memorable time for them. It’s so easy (and natural) to get carried away. Have you heard about the 5 gift rule for Christmas? Many people absolutely swear by it, let’s see if it’s something that could work for your family.
The 5 Gift Rule suggests a practical approach to Christmas gifts for kids. Parents are encouraged to limit their gift-giving to five presents per child. It simplifies the search for ‘perfect’ gifts and places the focus on quality instead of quantity. All in all, these 5 simple rules, which we will discuss shortly, make the whole experience more meaningful for parents and kids alike.
How does the 5 Gift Rule Work?
Here’s a guideline of how it typically works:
- Something they want: the first gift focuses on something that’s on your child’s wishlist. It’s usually the ‘big gift’ mentioned in their letter to Santa. This ensures you’re giving them something they’ll really cherish and appreciate. Not sure what they really want, explore our fab range of Christmas gifts for boys and Christmas gifts for girls. Struggling to find gifts for your teens? Shop the range of coolest gifts for teenagers from Prezzybox.
- Something they need: the second gift should be something essential and practical. That doesn’t mean it needs to be boring! It’s the perfect opportunity to show your support and encouragement for their hobbies such as sport or music. Think of the things they might need in the year to come to further develop their interests. It can also be something for everyday use and even school related.
- Something to wear: simply put, it’s clothing and accessories. The idea is to spoil them with something stylish and unique to wear not only for Christmas, but for the rest of the season. Want to make it extra special? Explore personalised gifts for kids to get them something truly unique!
- Something to read: the fourth gift is all about reading materials.It doesn’t have to be limited to classics, think outside the box: magazines, encyclopaedias, comics or perhaps a cookbook? If you’ve got a kid who doesn’t like reading, look for books that align with their interests, and perhaps find something with bright illustrations.
- Something they don’t know they want: our favourite type of gift! Our unusual gifts are always a hit. Get creative with your gifting, and surprise them with craft kits or fun games and puzzles. Do you feel like your kids have enough ‘stuff’? Experience day gifts are increasingly popular for making special memories, while you enjoy quality time together.
5 Benefits of the 5 Gift Rule
Why the 5 gift rule you may ask? There are lots of advantages, which is probably why it’s such an attractive choice for so many families across the globe. Here are a couple of reasons why you should give it a try this Christmas:
- Simplicity: let’s be honest, ‘want’, ‘need,’ ‘wear,’ ‘read’ and ‘unexpected’ ultimately means less chaos. Another plus point of limiting the amount of gifts is that it greatly reduces the stress of aimlessly looking for numerous gifts. Now that you know what you're looking for, it should make choosing gifts a bit easier.
- Reduces clutter: many people can attest to the fact that limiting the number of gifts forces them to choose the 5 gifts they buy more carefully. Useful gifts are less likely to become discarded clutter. Less is more!
- Sustainability: making better choices by prioritising quality over quantity is not only good for the reasons mentioned above, but it’s also good for the environment. Giving functional gifts reduces the amount of waste created by useless and broken items that end up on a dump around New Years.
- Budget friendly: just think how much money you’d save if you have a proper gifting guideline. Intentional purchases prevent you from getting extra, unnecessary gifts just for the sake of, well… getting more gifts.
- Thankfulness: with fewer gifts, kids tend to appreciate each gift more. They’re less overwhelmed with toys everywhere, and can value the meaningful gifts they received. Enjoyment and gratitude go hand in hand!
